Page 55 of Pillow Talk
They sat down and were silent as they dished food onto their plates.
‘They knew I made veils,’ she said and took a bite.
‘So, you actually can cook. Maybe next time it’ll be curry?’
‘How about you invite me over to your place?’
Sen raised an eyebrow.
‘And if I did, you’d accept?’
She nodded.
‘Friday. I’ll pick you up at 6pm?’
It was obvious she didn’t think he would actually ask.
‘I heard that you don’t take anyone back to your apartment,’ she said.
‘You’re not just anyone.’ He held her gaze and watched the emotion on her face. She was fighting something.
‘It’s a date,’ she replied.
He smiled. While he continued to eat, he thought of thegentlest way to make his point to Shona. He was a lawyer and a good one. But he had to tread very carefully.
‘Shona …’
She looked up.
‘Did your parents know you were serious about opening your own bridal dress shop?’
‘Sen, I spoke about it all the time. Even you knew about it.’
Gentle, he warned himself mentally.
‘And when last did you talk about it to them?’
‘When I graduated from college and started working in the shop, I knew my fate so I just stopped talking about it. When I wanted to talk about it, I would to Anni,’ she replied.
He put down his fork.
‘And never Aruna, or your mother or father?’
Shona put down her cutlery too; it was obvious that she was starting to understand where he was going with this line of questioning.
‘Sen, it was expected. I’m expected to work in that shop just like how my dad was and my mom had to give up everything, and Aruna has to work there too. We just have to,’ she said.
‘But no one told you that you have to work there? No one ordered you to work there? No one said you have to give up your dream for the shop?’
He sat back waiting for the assault of words that would be aimed at him. She would probably be furious.
He was surprised when, instead, she whispered, ‘No.’
She pushed the lamb chops to him.
‘Have more,’ she said.
He was afraid of the fragile expression on her face so he did as he was told.
